Dissertation Full

INCORPORATE IDEAS ABOUT MUSIC'S UNIVERSAL NATURE (WHAT IS MUSIC? ESSAY)

DISCUSS POP'S RESTRICTIONS IN CONTRAST TO THE WAYS IT ALLOWS US TO ADVANCE
Does our relationship with pop music and 'individuality' influence our social behaviours, activity and
'consciousness'? If so, is this for better or worse, and what socio-political potential does pop music
hold for the future?
SECTION 1
In many ways it could be claimed that music has the power to change the way we feel, the way we think, and
perhaps the way we conduct ourselves. Throughout time, a great deal of human culture and behaviour has
been fed and dictated by music, perhaps more than what could be accounted for by any other common form
of 'art'.
This piece of writing will cover music (particularly pop music) and it's influence over the people in the past
and present. It will discuss both the significant social changes it has played catalyst for and the changes that
have taken place within it's boundaries, in attempting to shed light on whether it has ever held an important
role as more than just a pastime in our day-to-day lives, and if so, if it still does today.
Numerous monumental changes to our social climate have been triggered by talented musicians harnessing
the powers of all things aural and deploying them, whether cleverly and intentionally, or brashly and
carelessly, often to harmonious effect. Music (along with those who make it) seems to have played a key role
in generating a sense of freedom, and often a rebellious energy among the people of the past. In the 70s
David Bowie or 'Ziggy Stardust' helped to break homophobias grip on society, Bob Marley inspired so many
to successfully tackle the corrupt governing bodies of Zimbabwe and other countries during his reign at the
"top of the pops" and James Brown brought peace to the streets of Boston amidst riotous action elsewhere in
America in the wake of Martin Luther King's assassination. These are some of the most crucial steps pop-
music has allowed us to take, and some times where popular music has brought people together to make
change for the better.
However, such is our obsession with popular music, it must be that its effect on our species goes deeper
than such clear-cut instances; there are many ways in which our ties with music determine how we act in our
daily lives and the small things we do. Music's position as such a common fixture in many of our lives could
arguably account for even greater influence over time than those more obvious events as the inspirational
performances of Marley and Brown, in Zimbabwe and the USA respectively, which carried great socio-
political resonance, changing the lives of many, and perhaps shaking up society purely through the medium
of music.
If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams
in music. I see my life in terms of music. - Albert Einstein
(You Are What You hear: How Music And Territory Make Us Who We Are) Algora Publishing, 1 Jan 2010
We react to sound with kicks and movements from as early as the womb, and are even sometimes shown in
scans to be smiling in direct response to sound while still unborn. Our relationship with sound consists of
much more than just that which we would call 'music', and, given our great dependence on hearing as a tool
to aid us in almost all that we do, this is hardly a bold statement. However, one thing many may take for
granted, or fail to consciously examine, is the fact that music, in many ways, consists of a great deal more
than just sound.
After birth, growing babies are shown to react to music in ways which are very similar to those of adults,
willing to contently spend much longer periods of time listening to consonant music than that which musical
norms would deem dissonant.
Our relationships with sound and many energies the world displays, of course, blossom fast from a young
age. However, perhaps all else that happens in conjunction with sound, that we therefore associate with
sound; visual stimulation, our emotions and particularly our ability to draw on past memory and experience,
has just as much of a say in what music actually is. Music's universal nature truly defines it's power and
ability to affect us, sometimes in aiding us, and often in doing the opposite.
As we grow, we take influence and direction from all manners of things. Our lifestyle is built upon our
environment, on situation and opportunity, and our experiences mould who we are as people. Naturally there
are many, greatly unique cultures around the world, but music seems again to play a point of unification for
all.
Whether it includes or excludes, gives belonging to or alienates the people in question, music certainly has a
say in the lives of many as to who they associate with, where they spend time, and what they spend it doing,
with regards both to vocation and recreation.
However, although every culture may have it's own understanding of music, it's universal nature has been
underlined in many ways.
One of these ways is the proof that it is common for music listeners from around the world, and from vastly
different cultural backgrounds, to react synonymously in hearing the same music. African tribespeople who'd
never previously heard Western Music took part in an experiment in which they listened to our music and
pointed to pictures of faces expressing primary human emotions such as happy, scary and sad, based on
what kind of reaction they had upon listening. All were consistent with what us Westerners felt emotionally in
listening to the very same pieces of music.
Section 2
There are many musical genres, or 'movements' of the past that have often demonstrated a clear
understanding of world affairs, but, perhaps more importantly there are those have driven a morally focused
brand of music to the forefront of popular culture.
In the 1960s, much of the Western world saw a surge of socio-political awareness among young people,
particularly students, and Sheila Whitely, author of Women and Popular Music, states that there was a
growing recognition that a political system which perpetuated inequality and a general lack of
freedom, and that this was conceded by the youth of the day to be untenable. (Page 22)
In the words of Whitely, much of music then had an evangelical purpose which tied it to the values of the
group, claiming it would express the group's attitudes and establish common cultural and political
bonds.
Sub-cultures within different societies are often dictated or defined most clearly by music, with people
seemingly drawing a sense of belonging from common interests and fashions, both musical and otherwise.
Many 'sub-cultures' in the past have had huge effects on our social climates during the periods of time in
which they have been most prominent.
Perhaps, though, our obsessions with these sub-cultures and fitting in to them is, still, derived solely from a
human instinct to hold a sense of belonging. It could be suggested that we are simply filling a void by
creating and going along with such trends, although we may in fact see it as our own way of avoiding
conformation to societies norms.
Simon Reynolds claims punk to hold a paradox right at its heart, stating that what he describes as the
most revolutionary movement in rock history derived simply from reactionary impulses and an
opposition to the idea of progression. Despite the contradiction that punk is claimed to represent, perhaps it's
such reactionary impulses in music which serve to be the most powerful when they are allowed to flourish,
from simple, instinctual beginnings, musical movements go on to take their full form in the social reaction
that follows.
Baring this in mind, perhaps the age of the internet and its huge social-networking capabilities brings with it
more potential than ever for music with the power to revolutionise.
Throughout history there have been many individuals who have chosen to dedicate their lives to some form
of social activism; to standing up, refusing to back down and to letting their feelings be known in a fight to
make their views count. The social activist is conscious, empathetic, considerate and highly determined;
boasting great human qualities, regardless of their professions or 'talents'. Clearly, one does certainly not
need to be a musician, or even a fan of music, if one is to be an activist. However...
In theory, potential for the 'Average Joe' to make his own socio-political movements is now a great deal more
present. Unlike ten or twenty years ago, just over a third of people today have access to the internet, with
2,405,518,376 people currently holding access to the internet of the 7,017,846,922 there are worldwide
(www.internetworldstats.com). Not only does the internet allow us freedom to access countless sources of
information on a never-ending amount of subjects; but the introduction of social networking, email and other
similar technologies has allowed us to now quickly and easily communicate with peers from all over the
planet, as often as we wish to do so. As a result, in recent years, global movements and organisations have
been born directly from the internet, for example the 'Occupy' movement, which first received widespread
attention in 2011, and which, by October that year had protests that had taken place or were ongoing in
over 951 cities across 82 countries. The 'Anonymous' group, although their intentions proven to be far
from consistent as a result of mixed agendas and values within, are a similarly success organisation in terms
of how far they have grown as a community, and the impact they have managed to have on society. Of one
thing there is no doubt; with the help of the internet, the people are now far more able to have their own say;
suddenly granted a much louder voice.
What can be said for this voice that we as the modern generation, particularly in the West, now possess?
QUOTE FOR... RUSSELL BRAND? FOLLOWED BY...
However, some would argue that it takes more than just knowledge and opportunity to make a difference,
what can be said for levels of socio-political activity within the modern generation?
If 'doing something' amounts to recognising a common dilemma through one's headphones, or
watching artists perform on the tv, does it truly constitute a meaningful political action? (8). One
could argue that music's ability to form social togetherness begins to diminish and eludes us further and
further as it becomes more restricted to the headphones plugged in to our bedroom laptops than to the
packed out concerts and even the record stores and more communal hi-fi's we used to depend upon as a
mean of hearing our music. As discussed, it would seem a sense of herd-mentality can be brought on when
even a few people with similar views come together, and those similar views can be realised and even born
simply from studying and discussing issues with one another, whether musical, social, economical or
political.
Purely by human nature, such congregation has surely always been something commonly done with regards
to all types of art, including music, since it all began.
However, it would appear that on many fronts Pop music "Creates a fake sensation of 'doing
something'". (9)
Many of us seem to seek a sense of identity and belonging in music, and pop music holds an immense
amount of importance and influence in society, but it can be argued that such a stronghold of music on our
lives can be detrimental to the way they pan out. In today's age, despite our massive broadcasting and press
capabilities, along with all the ease of communication the internet provides, simple, repetitive and almost
redundant themes get large fractions of coverage. For example celebrity magazines and tabloid newspapers
sell to millions, and soap operas are watched nightly in millions of Western homes. Is the repetitive, perhaps
confining nature of popular music an example of humans obsessions holding them back?
For the week ending 29
th
December 2013 (the most recent I could include in this writing), five separate
episodes of soap opera 'Eastenders' ranked in the top ten programmes for viewer counts in the UK, claiming
over 43 million views over the course of that week, and sitting firmly on top of the overall weekly ratings as a
result. Simarly, on ITV1, with the exception of Downton Abbey, placed sixth in the ratings, the entire top 11
productions to be viewed are Soap Operas (five episodes of 'Coronation Street' and the same number of
'Emmerdale' episodes). (http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30?_s=4)
As far as newspapers are concerned, the less informative, celebrity focused tabloid newspapers by far out-
sell the more politically engaged broadsheet papers. In June 2013 (the most recent month for which I could
find such figures), 'The Sun', 'The Daily Mail' and 'The Daily Mirror' top the ratings for daily circulation by a
significant margin, with figures of 2,243,903, 1,806,569 and 1,038,753 respectively. Broadsheet sales barely
come close, with papers such as 'The Times', 'The Guardian' and 'The Independent' clocking up daily sales
of 390,941, 187,000 and 73,060 respectively. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/table/2013/jul/15/abcs-
national-newspapers)
A network can be destroyed by noises that attack and transform it, if the codes in place are unable
to normalize and repress them. (1)
This quote from Attali could be applied to the politics of popular music and it's ability to shape and mould our
culture. Perhaps, though, there are too great a set of rules and boundaries popular music sets for itself and
therefore, the people; something to which Attali's words could also relate.
Perhaps we as the public have a constant tug-of-war battle with pop music and popular culture, forever
changing it's shape as it continues in turn to change ours in turn.
In many ways it could be argued that pop music is restrictive, and Simon Reynolds may claim that it acts for
the most-part as an ever-recycling version of itself, constantly changing form on it's exterior but remaining
untouched at its more important core. In Retromania, Reynolds suggests that popular culture, particularly
that relating to popular music, works in cycles and our desires to be different and do something new actually
draw very much on our knowledge of history; our more favourable memories of childhood, for example.
Reynolds says of a group of '80s hippy university friends had chosen to spurn the most recent youth
revolution, that being punk-rock, which he says seemed to be over, almost before it had really
begun. This behaviour from the hippies, who he describes as Time-warp BLAHBLAH seems to be a
reaching out for something different to the norm, perhaps a simple, instinctive grasp for belonging and
individuality. The hippie's different lifestyle choices, a classic example of counterculture, set them well aside
from many of their peers, as what they had chosen to do was to embrace punk's predecessor, in many
ways completely contrasting their own lifestyles from those of their punk counterparts. However, although
those involved may take comfort and be completely happy in living such lifestyles, perhaps on a larger scale
such behaviours are limiting to human progression, and to music's progression as a social force.
Perhaps such recycling of conformities passed, whether those involved in composing, performing, producing,
or matters further up such as marketing and sales, reflect a fear in society to move in to the future of popular
music, something which could also be applied more universally.
That which could be deemed foul play is not unheard of from those in the high-power positions in the music
industry, and much has recently been disputed with regards to their suggested negative influence on the
consumer.
In today's multi-media climate, many smaller bands and artists are forced to rely heavily on things such as
merchandise sales to keep afloat, and those at the top can earn large fees simply through image-rights. In
recent years music's sales have generally slumped, with 2012 proving to be the seventh consecutive year of
a slide in album sales, where combined sales of digital physical albums fell overall by 5.6% to 113.2m
(http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/02/uk-music-sales-decline-2011) last year, compared to the
industry peak in 2004, where 163.4m albums were sold.
Perhaps the paying public, however, is not to blame for such a state of affairs, it could be the case that music
is deemed too expensive to pay for by many in today's economy, but undeniably it is still consumed at a
higher rate than ever, whether paid for or acquired through other means. Some may argue that much of
society is effectively being priced out of such engagement in popular culture, but with all of our current
capabilities, perhaps paying for music is a dying idea, and perhaps musicians and the rest of society would
be in a better environment to freely engage with and inspire each other if music were not a business, but
purely an art form as it would have been at it's very roots.
There are attitudes very much alive in pop music today which do live to challenge the current industry, and
perhaps its existence as an industry altogether, and perhaps there is chance to do so through taking the
current musical and social climate in to consideration and using it to one's advantage.
If our aim is to bring change to the world through the power of popular music, perhaps the best way to equip
ourselves would be to create an environment where it is not easy to favour or to become content with the
music we hear simply because of the sheer rate at which we repeatedly hear it, or hear of it. Maybe we are
too content with the music we are 'fed' through the many forms of media now so readily available to us.
In an ever-increasing population with ever increasing social-networking and communications capabilities, it
could be argued that the idea of celebrity has less of a place. There are many budding musicians who, in
theory, purely in having a computer with connection to the internet, have a platform for almost anybody else
in the world to hear their music first-hand. However, so long as the premise of the 'pop-star' exists, and holds
such a presence within our media, there will surely be a conveyor-belt of budding 'wannabes', happy to fill
the void left by their predecessors. For example, would their still be a Lady Gaga if there had never been a
Madonna, or would either have come in to prominence without David Bowie having done such similar things
beforehand. The existence and large-scale focus on fame and celebrity throughout the media and,
unavoidably, in our daily-lives perhaps means that there will forever be a small fraction of musicians who will
sit 'at the top of the tree' so to speak, while others, perhaps more adept, and perhaps with more substantial
material, falling by the wayside. Perhaps music is shrouded by its ties with capitalism?
COULD THIS BE SAID OF MUSICIANS TODAY? WHY? BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE USED?
Perhaps, though, there comes a point where our ability to progress musically reaches a plateau, maybe even
in near-perfect synchronisation with our AROUSAL LEVELS. In the measure of cognitive reaction and
stimulation set about by hearing a specific piece of music, much can be said for how the audience may
respond to it, but perhaps pop's frequent revisiting of already-grazed pastures limits our chances of
witnessing pop music which changes the world. A similar stunt in our ability to further ourselves musically in
the long-term may be evident, too.
FIGURES AND OPINONS ON THIS!
ANY COINCIDENCE?
GET QUOTES ON SOCIAL LOAFING CULTURAL NOMADISM ETC
BACK THIS UP WITH QUOTES ETC.
BACK THIS UP WITH QUOTES ETC.
This also begs the question; are our chances of sending a meaningful message as musicians greatly
hindered unless we are one of the very few who sit at the very top of the popularity tree?
WORK ON THIS
Would we have more or less social harmony if music was not to exist as part of popular culture?
Taking a universal look at the behaviours, relationships, hierarchies and all factors of politics that play part in
creating and projecting what we know as popular music, there are many conclusions which can, and will, be
drawn. Perhaps, though, in today's world it is such art forms as music upon which we can hang our most
heavy of hopes and dreams. Everything seems, through many techniques, regulations and through the
repetition of much of history (such is human nature, drawing on past experiences) to set itself boundaries
which are often difficult to break, should this be desired. Yet music and artistic, often nuanced expressions of
human emotion above all have the power to make change, whether it to popular music, popular culture or to
society as a whole. It is the versatile and fluid nature of popular music which, amidst all that has a hindering
effect, allows it to at least have potential to aid us in our goals.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
IN COMPLETE CONCLUSION
TOUCH BACK ON
DO WE JUST NEED SOMETHING TO LOVE AND SOMETHING TO HATE? ETC. FILLING ANIMALISTIC
VOIDS WITH THE THINGS WE HAVE IN TODAY'S WORLD?
IS IT THE MORE THOUGHT-OUT AND OBVIOUS THINGS ABOUT POP MUSIC WHICH
EFFECT US AS PEOPLE, OR IS IT THE MORE HIDDEN, NUANCED AND PERHAPS
UNINTENTIONAL MESSAGES THAT WE AS PEOPLE PICK UP ON? IS IT POSSIBLE TO
CONTROL THIS?
Would we have more or less social harmony if music was not to exist as part of popular culture?
Taking a universal look at the behaviours, relationships, hierarchies and all factors of politics that play part in
creating and projecting what we know as popular music, there are many conclusions which can, and will, be
drawn. Perhaps, though, in today's world it is such art forms as music upon which we can hang our most
heavy of hopes and dreams. Everything seems, through many techniques, regulations and through the
repetition of much of history (such is human nature, drawing on past experiences) to set itself boundaries
which are often difficult to break, should this be desired. Yet music and artistic, often nuanced expressions of
human emotion above all have the power to make change, whether it to popular music, popular culture or to
society as a whole. It is the versatile and fluid nature of popular music which, amidst all that has a hindering
effect, allows it to at least have potential to aid us in our goals.
Ref 6 in Lit Review useful as counter-point to idea of limits set up on pop-music by itself.
5 Good point for talking of lyrical content.
Be sure to mention Marley, Bowie, Brown. Jackson could be relevant, perhaps in talking of celebrity.